Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1899 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

What will Congress do? is a question to which some thousands of American newspapers have attempted to reply. Nor is interest in it confined to this country or this continent. What the Fifty-sixth Congress at its first session, which might lawfully be extended to the first Monday in December next, but which will, in all probability, end several months before that time, will do must inevitably affect, not merely the material interests of all our people, but their political views and acts. And as no man in any community “liveth to himself,” so no member, and especially no great members of the family of nations can avoid some degree of responsibility toward other members of that family. Recent events have made our country more influential in international affairs; have made other nations more inclined to study our politics and policies, and have charged us with greater responsibilities touching the interests of other countries than woulc| have been deemed possible before the war of 1898 began. These facts account as well for the intense domestic as for the greatly augmented foreign concernment in the doings of the Congress now in session.

The Senate on Wednesday received nearly 800 bills and resolutions. The most important bills were the Finance Committee’s currency reform measure, Mr. Cullom’s Hawaiian* government measure and the Frye substitute for the Hanna-Payne subsidy bill. Mr. Mason introduced a resolution expressing sympathy with the 'Boers and Mr. Rawlins one providing for an investigation into polygamy. Mr. Harris was added to the Committee on Elections, which will consider the Quay, Clark and Scott contests. The House was not in session. The Senate on Thursday received bill from Mr. Chandler to encourage athletics at West Point and Annapolis. Sent to Committee on Contingent Expenses Chandler resolution to investigate right of Senators Clark of Montana and Scott of West Virginia to hold their seats. Received resolution from Mr. Berry declaring in favor of election of Senators by popular vote. Adjourned until Monday, Dec. 11. Before the House met the Republican and Democratic leaders attempted to perfect an agreement for the debate on the financial bill. But the negotiations failed. The Republican leaders then decided to resort to a special rule. Mr. Overstreet (Indiana), who is to have charge of the bill, introduced the formal resolution for a special order upon which the Committee on Rules will act. It provides for the consideration of the bill continuing until a date to be decided upon by the Committee on Rules. Immediately after the reading of the journal the Speaker announced the appointment of the Committee on Rules as follows: The Speaker, Mr. Dalzell of Pennsylvania and Mr. Grosvenor of Ohio, Republicans, and Messrs. Richardson of Tennessee and Bailey of Texas, Democrats. Announcement of the death of Representative Greene of Nebraska w r as followed by adjournment as a token of respect. On Friday the House adopted a special order for the consideration of the currency bill, beginning Monday, Dec. 11, general debate to be allowed until the following Friday, amendments to be offered Saturday and vote to be taken Monday, Dec. 18. Mr. Dalzell presented an amendment to the rules, creating a committee on insular affairs, to consist of seventeen members, to have jurisdiction over all matters, excepting revenues and appropriations, of the islands which came to the United States .through the treaty with Spain in 1899, and to Cuba, and to increase the committees on foreign affairs, merchant marine and fisheries, public lands, military affairs, naval affairs, and District of Columbia from fifteen to seventeen members, and the committee on territories from thirteen to fifteen members. Air. Robertson announced the death of Representative S. ( G. Baird of Louisiana, and after adopting the customary resolutions, at 1:30, as a mark of further respect, the House adjoidnaed until Monday, Dec. 11.